"I'm very proud of you," Xu firmly shook the newly graduated SeeD's hand. A shy, but bright, smile lit Summer's face as she pumped her Instructor's hand. Of all Xu's students, this was the one that had made the most progress since coming under her tutelage. It was a point of pride to see her now standing confidently in a SeeD uniform. "I never thought today would come," she admitted. "It's all thanks to you, Instructor." Xu was about to demure when a pair of gentlemen joined the two ladies. SeeD Logan and Master Pan where dressed formally for tonight's ball. A class of SeeDs graduated today with Summer among their ranks. But the SeeDs weren't today's only graduates. Xu's instructorship was assured as her 12th SeeD graduated with a couple more for good measure. "Congratulations, SeeD Summer," Logan saluted her smartly with a playful smile looking out of place on his solidly built face. It was at times like this that Xu doubted her ability to judge people. Who would have ever guessed that the gruff Logan had a long time crush on the bashful Summer? For all his posturing, he was a teddy bear if Summer was to be believed. Summer returned his salute before taking up his hand and leading him away. Pan chuckled lightly as they watched the couple melt into the crowd. "Congratulations to you as well, Instructor Xu," Pan lifted his glass in toast to her. "Thank you, Master Pan. I finished two terms before the deadline. I wonder if I could return to Balamb early for good behavior?" She meant it in jest, though she wouldn't mind leaving now that her assigned task was completed. Balamb was her home and she longed to return. A part of her scolded the other for her weakness at missing Balamb after only a year and a half away. She hadn't returned to the Anshin in twice that time and didn't missed them. "No chance of that. You're contracted for two years at Galbadia Garden with no way to back out unless you're killed or dismissed. Besides, now isn't the time to stand on your laurels. We have a lot of work to do if you're going to be a Mistress by the time your contract expires." "You weren't kidding about that?" She assumed that he was joking when he revealed that she was a Journeywoman with the Weapons Guild a few months previous. Especially since the subject hadn't resurfaced since then. "When it comes to the Weapons Guild, I never joke," he said in an expressionless manner. "When the Guild announced that the ranking trials would be held during the summer, I could only hope that they would chose a week during the break. I got word yesterday that they did just that." "How fortunate," Xu agreed while not being entirely sure of the idea as a whole. "It is. I can't use you as my replacement if you're going to be with me," he reasoned. "Will Martine let me off the campus this year?" Xu asked dryly. Pan was gone for a full week during last year's trials. Xu pictured Martine having a fit about releasing her for that long. "He has no choice. SeeD and the Guild have an agreement to not interfere with each other if at all possible. The only way he could stop you is if you were reassigned. The Guild would frown upon SeeD if it was done to prevent you from taking the trials." "Won't being in SeeD and the Guild be a conflict of interests?" She wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize her current position. If Pan's plans were going to cause problems, she'd nip them in the bud now and be done with it. "Anything but!" He favored her with a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry, I should have clarified things before thrusting the idea onto you. The Guild is an organization of professionals, nothing more. You won't be asked to make any commitments that would be in conflict with your oaths as a SeeD. You wouldn't object to being a member of a Triple Triad club, now would you? It's much the same thing. We rank our members and help each other improve. If our services are contracted out, it's on an individual basis." He gave her arm a comforting squeeze. "I won't make you do this if you don't want to. But it would be a damn shame if you didn't. Feeding books to ungrateful minds is a waste of your natural talent. Having ties with the Guild would mean that you could be among your true peers once in a while instead of the lowly students that occupy so much of your time." Xu wasn't sure that she agreed with Pan's assessment of her teachings being such a waste. Seeing Summer tonight reaffirmed her conviction that what she was doing was important and could make a positive difference for that person individually and for SeeD as a whole. Her success would be through her students. That idea caused her to wonder if that was how Cid felt? "I would like to consult with Headmaster Cid before I make a commitment," she said. "This is something I should clear with him first." "Of course," he indicated his agreement with a gesture. "Please give the Headmaster my regards when you speak with him." "Do you know him?" Xu gave Pan a questioning look. "We've had dealings in the past," was all he said. Before Xu could pump him for more information, she was whisked onto the dance floor by one of the new SeeDs. It was past time for her to become actively involved in the celebration. It wasn't until the next day that Xu had the opportunity to put a call in to the Headmaster of Balamb. She hadn't contacted him more than twice while she was at Galbadia. Most of her correspondence was with either Kei (usually) or Quistis (during the rare times that the cadet wasn't busy elsewhere). Cid paid polite attention while Xu explained the situation to him. When she finished, he sat back for several long moments as he considered it. "How interesting... Trust Pan to come up with an angle I hadn't thought of exploring with you," Cid murmured to himself loud enough for the audio link to pick up. He then blushed when Xu gave him a curious look. "Yes, indeed," he straightened up as he addressed the visual display. "You have my permission to pursue a Mistress rank within the Weapons Guild. I would order you to do so, but that's against our agreement with them. So, I'll instead highly encourage you to succeed," his lips quirked into a half-smile. "You've done well for yourself, Xu. I was regretting that I hadn't insisted upon an early release clause in your contract, but it seems that you'll make good use of your extra time there." "I'll give it my best, Headmaster." Now that she had his go-ahead, she could say that earnestly. With nothing in her way, achieving her goal would become her top priority. "That's all I ask. Once again, congratulations and good luck. You'll do Balamb Garden proud, I know it," he cut the link on his end. Xu rose from the terminal ready to face her newest challenge. Much to her surprise, Martine freed her of her Instructor duties and ordered her to assist Pan in the training room. If she thought Pan was a harsh taskmaster before, his instruction now was nothing short of torturous. Four months of her life were spent practically living in the training room. The only activity that drew her out regularly was eating. Many nights were spent sleeping on a mat when she was too tired and beaten to drag herself back to her assigned quarters. Logan enjoyed the many opportunities Pan gave him to spar against her. She somehow remained ahead of him on the learning curve, but it wasn't by much at times. When a student, SeeD, or officer wasn't available to knock her around, Pan did it himself. By the time summer break rolled around, Xu wondered how she ever considered herself a competent fighter with only the training SeeD provided. She felt as ready as ever to take on the challenges of the Weapons Guild. ***** Xu was becoming quite familiar with Deling City and the Galbadia Hotel when she checked in at the front counter. The woman who issued her a room key even remembered her name. It was a good thing that their reservations were made months ago if the number of people milling about the lobby was any indication of the Guild's convention size. This hotel was the overflow one. Pan encouraged her to stow her things quickly since the sign in for the Journeymen testing was only open for another hour. They took a bus to an area of the city she had never been to before. The convention center was a large, squat building set in a field of pavement. A few patches of grass and the occasional tree tried to freshen the appearance of the center with little success. A blast of cool air hit them as they entered the lobby. Off to one side, a small table was set up with a few people seated behind it. That must be where they signed in at. "Master Pan and Journeywoman Xu," Pan introduced as a young woman flipped through the reservations book. "Yes, I have you here," she said with a smile. The man sitting besides her pulled two packets from a box behind the table and handed them over. "The trials schedule has been changed slightly as reflected in your programs," she indicated the packets. "Trials begin promptly at the times stated. Don't be late! Good luck, Journeywoman Xu." She smiled again, then prepared to help the people standing behind them. The two of them shuffled to an unclaimed corner and thumbed through the schedule. "Damn, the first one begins in a half hour. That's barely enough time to change and warm up. You'd better get going. The locker rooms are this way," he pointed towards a hallway before moving in that direction. They parted ways when Xu entered the locker rooms. The fact that a convention center even *had* a locker room surprised her. She didn't spend too much time on that thought considering that she had more important things to worry about. Unzipping her bag, she drew out the uniform that was made especially for this occasion. She had planned on wearing a pair of workout pants and a sleeveless shirt during the trials, since it was an outfit that offered the freedom of movement she desired. Then Martine insisted that she represent her SeeD origins somehow. While one could fight effectively in the SeeD uniform, it wasn't her first choice for clothing. A compromise was reached with the uniform she brought with her. The pants were patterned after a pair of workout sweats. They were the same black color as SeeD uniforms with a single red stripe running down each leg. Her shirt white ribbed with a low turtleneck had the emblem of SeeD embroidered on the collar. The shirt was made sleeveless at her insistence. A simple warm up jacket was pieced together as an after thought. Considering the haste that the outfit was put together with, Xu was impressed by the results. Her only fear was that a stitch somewhere might have been missed with something coming undone at an inopportune time. Signs were taped to the walls indicating where to go to warm up. Xu followed them to a small area that was occupied by roughly two dozen other people. She forced down the nervous ball that formed in her stomach and began her stretches. Why should she be nervous? She had done this countless times before. 'Hell, I am a SeeD already, that should give me some sort of advantage,' she reasoned with herself. It should at least make her less prone to beginner's mistakes. Xu had just finished her final exercise when a well-dressed man entered the room. He cleared his throat to catch their attention before speaking. "Is everyone warmed up? Good. You will divide yourselves into the groups indicated here," he held up the sheet of paper he brought with him, "and go to your assigned areas. First round is physical assessment." He handed the paper to the person standing closest to him before leaving the room. Xu found herself in a group with three other females in a corner of a large gymnasium. A man that could have rivaled Sean's father for size looked down on them with beady eyes. Another man stood besides him with a clipboard cradled in his arm. "We have received your medical clearances, but we like to do our own assessments," the large man explained. "If you are not ready for the physical demands of the upcoming trials, it's better to wait until you are instead of injuring yourself. The doctor's call on the matter is final. Don't bother trying to appeal it if he says that you aren't fit enough." It was well into the evening when they were finished. One of the women in their group was disqualified. Considering Xu's line of work, her passing was assured. Pan wasn't around when she got out, so she wandered around the center some. Things were still being setup for the main convention that would begin the day after tomorrow. People wishing to raise a rank or gain Mastery began the trials beforehand and finished on the first day of the three-day event. The next morning found Xu sitting up against a wall as she waited to be called to demonstrate a skill. Many of the others from yesterday were moving about the room as they also waited. "Hey, you want to play a game of Triple Triad?" A man that was around her age knelt down to speak with her. His curly hair was pulled back into a pony tail, a style that emphasized his narrow nose and hawk-like features. "Sorry, I don't have my cards with me." It was so long since she last played, she questioned if she even remembered how. That was silly, of course, since Triple Triad was such a simple game. "Not that serious of a player, huh?" He planted himself next to her and crossed his legs. Apparently she was chosen as the one to relieve his boredom. "I love the game, but it's not allowed at the Garden," she explained. "Garden? You're an officer!" His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he gave her an appraising look. She sighed audibly. Obviously more needed to be done to convey the idea that Gardens weren't officer training centers. "I'm a SeeD," she said while tapping the emblem on her collar. "Open beak, insert foot, chew vigorously," he hung his head with shame. "I'm sorry." Xu couldn't help but giggle. "'Open beak'?" "Oh, I'm Raven Argent." He smiled sheepishly before putting his hand out to shake hers. "Ah, that explains the whole beak thing," she returned his firm grasp. "Yeah. What's your name?" Before Xu could answer Pan interrupted them. "You better not be harassing my Journeywoman, Argent, or I'll deliver you back to your Master in a body bag!" He barked. Raven eep-ed and scooted away from Xu as quickly as he could. Pan laughed as Raven looked back over his shoulder at her. What a fool he just made of himself... again. "He wasn't doing anything," Xu defended, feeling sorry for Raven. "I know he wasn't, but it's fun to watch him scurry at the mention of his Master." Pan's eyes were alive with mischief as Raven rose to his feet. "That was cruel!" "It was, and I don't blame you for jumping one bit. Hell, I'd jump myself if your Master was after me," Pan patted him on the back. "You've met Xu I take it? Watch out for this young man, he's quite the Triple Triad player." Xu quirked her head as she regarded him. "Is that so? Then we'll definitely have to play once I get my cards back." "I'd like that," his face had a warm, if not somewhat goofy, smile. It took a full three seconds for it to register in his mind that they were calling his name to be tested next. With a jaunty wave, he left them. Pan crossed his arms and shook his head as they watched the young man leave. "Raven's a good man, but he has his quirks. Falling in love at first sight is one of them," he glanced down at her. "How can you say that? We only spoke for a few minutes," Xu rose to her feet. "And how many times did he stumble, chew, or otherwise fall over his own feet in those few minutes? He only does that when he's embarrassed about something. I didn't see his underwear flying from the flagpole this morning, so I'm guessing that you're the cause." "He was doing fine until you showed up," she grumbled in a good-natured way. "Why does he fear his Master? Is he a harsh teacher?" "She," Pan corrected. "Lyra is a woman, but don't even think of calling her Mistress. That was Raven's first mistake and she has yet to finish making his life hell because of it," he chuckled lightly. Xu missed the humor of the statement. "Don't get me wrong. Lyra is an excellent teacher, one of the best in the Guild. In fact, she runs a small private school for instructing weapons students. The thing is, she's a bit gruff, that's all. Despite appearances, she's rather fond of Raven when she's not exasperated by his clumsy social skills." "I thought they were cute," Xu said, feeling the need to speak on Raven's behalf. "Oh?" Pan was about to say more when Xu's name was called out. She sketched a bow to him before picking up her workout bag and following the Master that called her to the next room. ***** That night, Xu woke up from her sleep with a start. The loose shirt she wore clung to her back as beads of sweat rolled down her belly from between her breasts. With a fluid motion, she turned the nightstand lamp on while swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She raked her fingers through her hair before getting up from the bed. She had *that* dream again. It was one that haunted her for as long as she could remember. She was in a battle versus these most horrible monsters. They were unlike anything she had ever seen or heard of before. She would appear wearing elaborate ceremonial robes like the elders wore on certain occasions. Then she would utterly destroy the monsters in a fury of moves that she could never reproduce in real life. That's when the dreams began to disturb her -- what she felt while reigning havoc upon the monsters. She felt fulfilled, disgusted, proud, concerned, and perhaps even a bit aroused. The experience as a whole was that of duty mixed with pleasure mixed with sorrow at enjoying such a grizzly task. But this time there was more sorrow than usual and a greater need to destroy the monsters. She was protecting Sean and one other man from them. She wanted to break free of the dream -- break free of the pattern -- and throw herself at Sean and be held in his arms. But she couldn't. She couldn't even try until he was safe. And so she destroyed the monsters. Once they were defeated, she realized that she couldn't break free. She would only see him for a moment longer. So she saluted him with her crossed sai and bow. Then she woke up. The shower she took did little to clear her mind. The dream was too powerful, too fresh, and opened too many weeping wounds. She missed him terribly. It's been well over a year and it still hurt like it was yesterday. Feeling this strongly after that long probably wasn't healthy. It didn't interfere with her duties as a SeeD, so what did it matter if she suffered silently? ***** By the first official day of the convention, the number of Journeymen had decreased significantly. The center itself was bursting at the seams with people from around the world. Xu wouldn't have an opportunity to explore the many vendors' booths until tomorrow. The final day of trials was today. During the last couple of days, Xu and Raven continued to cross paths. They never had the chance to do more then exchange pleasantries. Pan kept her spirits up by encouraging her between rounds. Everyone's, with the notable exception of Raven's, Master was in attendance for the last day of trials. The trials were now being held in a public arena where anyone who wished could come and watch. A mat that was raised a meter from the ground ensured that the combatants were clearly visible. From what Xu understood, this last stage was meant to give all the Masters the opportunity to watch and evaluate the Journeymen. They could then challenge a Journeyman to a fight if they didn't think they were suitable for the Guild. If the Journeyman won, he was excepted. If he lost, he would have to try again next year. Xu and Raven waited together on the sidelines while two other Journeymen battled each other. Pan stood where Xu could see him since he couldn't join her in the area the Journeymen waited in. She was reassured knowing that he was pulling for her. "Why isn't your Master here?" She asked Raven. "Oh, Master Lyra had other things to do. She is a very busy woman with all her students, you know," he shrugged it off. "It's for the better that she isn't here. I'd just mess up if she were." One of the evaluating Masters approached them. "Journeymen Raven and Xu? You two are next. You will be demonstrating polearm skills. Come with me." He led them to alcove that had a weapons rack. They were each issued a polearm before being lead back to the edge of the mat. "I'm sorry, Xu," he placed a hand on her shoulder to pause her from climbing up onto the mat. "Why is that?" "Because the polearm class of weapons are my specialty," he explained before jumping up. "Shit," Xu muttered. She didn't take what he said as a taunt. It was an earnest apology for what he was about to do to her if he could. Pan had drilled her in a variety of weapons, but the sai were still her forte. Hopefully, she knew enough to at least put up a good fight. Once they were at the center of the mat they bowed to each other, then took up their ready stances. The Master brought his hand up while ordering them to fight. Xu didn't even have the chance to strike out a Raven. The end of the polearm screamed past her as she hastily dodged his opening move. In fact, defending was the only thing she could do. Raven had complete control of the battle. It was just a matter of time before he wore her down enough to defeat her. She parried his rapid blows with amazing success, but he was clever enough to keep things varied. He would lead her to believe that an overhead strike was next before taking a swing at her ankles. If only she could disarm him, then they would be on her turf. "Raven! Get off your lazy ass and finish her already!!" A voice barked from the crowd. The order so startled the Journeyman that his defenses were completely lowered. Xu couldn't pull her blow before she soundly knocked him to the mat. "Master Lyra," he said in a weak voice while rubbing the shoulder that the shaft of Xu's polearm had rammed down upon. Xu knelt to his side with an apology and a Cure spell. "Dammit Lyra!" Someone in the crowd exclaimed. "Don't interfere with the trials!" "We all know how you treat Raven, leave the poor guy alone," another chimed in. "He's *my* Journeyman. I can coach him how I see fit," Lyra yelled at the last comment. "Rematch!" A third voice called for. "They shouldn't have to rematch. It's clear that they are both skilled with that weapon. It was getting boring any ways. The winner would be whoever had the most stamina." "Agreed! They both passed!" The crowd continued to debate their performance. The Master that was refereeing their match instructed them to return to the Journeyman waiting area after stowing the borrowed weapons. Xu's eyes scanned the crowd to find Master Lyra. Pan was firmly pulling away a small black woman that couldn't be much over 150 centimeters who looked angry enough to bite the head off a T-Rexaur. She continued to yell at various other Masters about how she produced the finest in the Guild. None of her students were pansies and Raven should have had this Xu character down on the mat before a minute passed. Honestly, she found Lyra's boasting to be more humorous than insulting. She obviously expected a lot of Raven and was displeased by his lack of results. "Ha! Journeywoman Xu is *Pan's*. You've finally met your match, Lyra!" That taunt elicited chuckles from around the room. Lyra shook herself free of Pan's hold. "Since when do you take in Journeymen?" She asked with surprised curiosity. "Xu is an exception. I think you'll agree that she's something special," he offered Lyra his arm to escort her away from the more agitated of the crowd's members. They moved to the back of the room where they could speak softly amongst themselves. "The Masters have decided that you both passed this trial. There will be two more matches before the final evaluation," the Master gave Raven a sympathetic look. "I'm going to send the doctor over to look at your shoulder." "The Cure spell did the trick, I think," he assured, flexing his arm and shoulder to demonstrate its mobility. "Better safe than sorry," the Master patted him on his good shoulder before returning to his duties. "I'm really sorry, Raven. I didn't expect your defense to drop like that and I couldn't pull the blow," Xu frowned slightly. "It's alright. If this were a real battle, you should have killed me instead of curing me. I'm grateful that you those chose the latter option," he inclined his upper body slightly to her. She chuckled. "That's what Life spells are for." "Full-Life," he amended. "Full-Life? I don't know that spell." "Really? The spell brings a person back to life *and* restores them to full health. You'll be in no pain after it's cast. Here," he took hold of her hand and close his eyes. She could feel him pulling something from himself and transferring it to her. A small gasp escaped her lips as she took possession of a dozen Full-Life castings. "Are you sure? A spell as powerful as this one must be rare," she didn't ask how he knew the Energy Quanta technique. She focused briefly on storing the spells within herself. Personal preference led her to use the bead technique of spell casting thus she wasn't used to carrying the energy within herself. "I'm sure. I know where a couple Draw Points are. I'll hit them up when the convention is over." They continued to talk about magic while the trials continued on the mat. Xu was disappointed when they had to cut their conversation short for the next event. Raven had a lot of interesting things to say even if he did muddle up the delivery at times. Raven was instructed to go up on the mat and wait. He stood tall before his judges, while still giving off the air of being at ease. "Is there any Master who wishes to challenge Journeyman Raven Argent?" The crowd didn't so much as stir. A few minutes inched by before the Master accepted that no one was going to challenge him to a fight. "How say the Masters?" A resounding 'YEA!' thundered from those gathered. A silly, happy, grin crossed his face as the Master informed him that he was henceforth Master Raven Argent. The glee he felt was obvious as he searched for a way to express himself. He very much looked like a man who wanted to hug everyone within ten meters of him. "Congratulations," Xu said when he came down off the mat and the next person went up. "Thank you," he bobbed on the balls of his feet while grinning broadly. The elation he felt was understandable, even if it did give him the appearance of a bumbler. He just completed one of his life goals. It was a happy event that Xu would compare to becoming a SeeD. Two more people went up before Xu was called. With the poise learned from years of SeeD training, she stood at attention as the offer to challenge her was issued. "I challenge her," a light tenor voice called from the depths of the crowd. They parted to allow the Master to make his way to the mat. He was small by men's standards, giving him only a slight height advantage over her. The pants he wore were solid black and tailored to fit loosely. His top was a solid, forest green and spoke of elegant simplicity. As he drew closer, Xu could see that his eyes were the same shade of green as his shirt. The man jumped up onto the mat -- without the assistance of his hands or the steps -- and continued walking forward in a fluid motion. "Master Talasu," the Master announced to the crowd, though it seemed to her that they already knew him. "What reason have you for challenging this Journeywoman?" The question was punctuated by a sigh of annoyance. "As is my right, I wish to assess her skills myself," his green eyes captured her own. They seemed to bore into her very soul. Xu shivered on the inside, for those same eyes were also very kind as they regarded her. "As is your right," the Master reluctantly agreed. "Get your weapon, Journeywoman." At the back of the room, Pan was livid. "Damn him! There's no way Xu can defeat a level seven Master! I thought they rejected his rights to challenge Journeymen last year after he failed two of them." "Don't forget the six he's failed prior to that," Lyra chimed in. It was a shame that Talasu chose Xu. He was the black sheep of the Guild because he believed strongly in non-violent means for resolving conflicts. He was also a logical man. He knew that the world was such that non-violence wasn't always possible. So he compromised by causing as little harm as possible. At the most, their fight would leave Xu bruised. Her ego is what would be scarred from the experience. "I'm going to pound him so hard his brains squish out between his toes if he fails my Journeywoman," Pan growled. "He's better than you are," Lyra reminded gently. Truth be told, she'd be just as angry, if not more so, had Talasu pulled this stunt with Raven. There was no reason for him to challenge the woman and everyone in the room knew it. "Then help me!" "Why? My Journeyman passed," she took Pan's hands into her own and squeezed them tight. "Save your anger for now. They're about to start and this is a match I don't want to miss." Xu bowed to both Masters before pulling out her sai. Master Talasu was unarmed unless he had a knife hidden somewhere. "You're going to fight unarmed?" She asked. He waved off her question. "You may start with those if you wish. You'll soon be unarmed yourself." The order to begin was given. Xu tried for a quick stab to his belly, but he caught her wrist and turned it around. The sai in her hand fell to the mat. Its mate soon followed when he grabbed her other arm and forced the weapon from her. He then released her to reset herself. 'He's toying with me.' The anger Xu felt at this insult was honed into something she could use. She lashed out at him with a series of feigns and punches. These he blocked easily by diverting the energy behind the strike. It was a style she hadn't encountered before. She came at him again, intent upon throwing him to the mat. Her forward motion was used against her as he levered around and threw her himself. She stumbled before regaining her balance. Turning to face him again, he simply stood there with that same probing look in his eyes. "Stop playing games and fight me," she snapped. A corner of his mouth quirked up into a slight smile. "You believe that a strong offense constitutes a good defense. I believe that a strong defense is its own offense. Prove me wrong," he invited. And so she tried, but everything she attempted was reversed in some way to his advantage. All the energy being used during the fight was hers. Her mind desperately searched for a way to defeat him. He was too good for her and they both knew it. She could continue to pound her head against the wall, or admit defeat. Either one meant that her hopes of becoming a Mistress this year were finished. It wasn't fair! She took hold of his shirt before he could dislodge her hand and tried to throw him around by brute strength alone. This effort was as successful as the previous ones. He could adjust his center of gravity too well for that tactic to work. Releasing his shirt, she stepped away from him and bowed deeply. "I yield," the words came out as a mixture of frustration and disappointment. She had no choice but to give up the battle or lose. A sympathetic groan ran through the crowd as they likewise realized her options and forthcoming defeat. Pan bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood. They'd come too far to have her defeated when she was so close to success! Lyra gave his arm a squeeze. This was a crushing blow for both Journeywoman and Master. Xu righted herself slowly. She turned away from the Master to leave the mat. "Why did you yield to me?" Talasu asked. "Because I couldn't break through your defense. I'm not good enough." It hurt her to admit that, but it was the truth. As she was now, no matter the weapon, she can't counter his defensive style of fighting. "Do you think that a strong offense is the only way to win a battle?" Why was he doing this? To rub salt into the wound her defeat created? "No, it's not the only way." That much was obvious from his demonstration. Why did she have to announce it before all these people she was humiliated in front of? He turned to speak to the crowd. "Just as a strong defense is not the only way. I couldn't block a bullet, you know," his eyes became slits as he regarded the crowd. "Journeywoman Xu has learned a valuable lesson here today. It is a lesson many of the Masters need to be reminded of. "Kill this, defeat that -- aggression isn't the only way for our Guild. We can produce both soldiers and peacekeepers," he turned from addressing the crowd to speak to her again. "Your reputation precedes you, Xu of the Anshin. Within you lies the spirit of a warrior and the wisdom of a peacekeeper. You have the advantage of most of us, use it!" "Haven't you done enough without preaching to her?!" A member of the crowd yelled, irritated by his speech making after shaming her. "No, I haven't," he replied calmly before locking his gaze onto her. "Only a fool would have continued fighting such a hopeless battle. In a few years, I see you figuring out my tricks. I look forward to a rematch then. In the meantime, I expect you to continue your weapons training, Mistress Xu," he gave her an elaborate bow. "You- you *endorse* Journeywoman Xu?" The refereeing Master had the most dumbfounded expression on his face. "Unless the other Masters disagree?" He rose an eyebrow as he gave the crowd a questioning look. "How say the Masters?" The room roared with relief and approval. Xu felt herself become weak in the knees from the emotional whirlwind she'd just gone through. Master Talasu was at her side to escort her off the mat. Pan forced his way past the barriers to the Journeyman section of the floor to meet her. Once she was down, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Your stunt wasn't appreciated, Talasu," he led her away with Talasu, Lyra and a very concerned Raven in tow. The displeasure Pan felt was clearly expressed by his using Talasu's given name instead of his nickname, Elf. "I won't apologize," he said simply. "What I said rings of the truth. Mistress Xu, more than any of us, should know that since it is the nature of her being." "It could have waited," Pan growled. "The message would have been lost if I waited. For years I've challenged Journeymen hoping that one of them would *learn*. When I heard that SeeD Xu -- who had guts to speak out to Vinzer Deling at his own dinner table -- would be testing this year, I knew my time had come. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to convey my message," he said sincerely. "You nearly destroyed all our hard work," Pan continued bitterly. He wasn't in the mood for Elf's philosophical games. "Doesn't SeeD prepare one for the possibility of defeat? Any person here could destroy your hard work with a knife to the back. You must have faith in people to do what is right. To deny Xu her Mastership would have been terribly wrong on my part," he admitted with a touch of remorse in his tone. "You're a thinker, aren't you?" Xu asked him. "A damn fruitcake is what he is," Lyra chimed in. "And a lucky one at that. I doubt Pan was the only Master ready to beat his scrawny hide with a stick if he hadn't passed you." "There is that," Elf allowed. The group walked to a small cafe while talking. Raven slid into a booth next to Xu. Pan and Lyra sat opposite them with Elf pulling up a chair to sit on the end. "Gut wrenching moments aside, it's safe to say that we're all proud of both of you... Even if you're still a screw up, Raven," Lyra amended dryly. "Now, now Lyra, give the man his due. It takes someone with exceptional patience, vast amounts of courage, and wee-bit of madness to endure your training. You've done well for yourself, Raven," Pan commended while Lyra fumed briefly. Pan gave the dark skinned woman a sideways glance. She sniffed indignantly before retorting, "Not all of them come out of the box as well trained as yours." Both Xu and Raven sighed at how their Masters spoke of them. Xu grumbled that she wasn't some toy soldier to be played with while Raven muttered that he wasn't a screw up. "What are your future plans?" Elf asked the new Masters before their seniors began verbally sparring. "I have four months left on my contract to Galbadia Garden. I don't know what I'll be doing during that time. But afterwards, I'll return to Balamb Garden and become a SeeD Instructor," Xu replied. She had spent so much time focusing on this event that she didn't know what to fill the upcoming months with. Martine would undoubtedly have suggestions when she reported her success to him. "Instructing others is a worthy cause," Elf commented. "How about you, Master Argent?" "I'm not sure. Master Lyra has probably already packed my things and set them on the porch. Finding a place to go will be the first thing I do," he shrugged. "I'm sure I'll find something to occupy my time until I have a direction." "You don't have to leave right away, Raven," Lyra offered. "You're a good assistant. We can come to some sort of an agreement." He bowed his head, "It's good of you to offer, Master. I might take you up on it for a while, but I want to get out into the world." "Good, because I won't put up with your swooning over every girl I bring in forever," she chuckled as he flushed slightly. "I'm not that bad, am I Xu?" He turned to her for support. "I wouldn't know," she hedged while Lyra said, "She's the one you've fallen hardest for!" "You really don't need to say such things," he grumbled while sinking down into the booth. Lyra laughed at his expense. Xu felt sorry for him. It wasn't easy being as openly passionate of a man as he was. She got the impression that his heart was on his sleeve when it came to love. The woman who caught him would be very lucky indeed. ***** That night, Xu's sleep was restless as Elf's words replayed in her mind time and again. The issue of his defeating her was easily disregarded for now. What her mind refused to let go of was his proclamation of her 'dual nature'. Wisdom mixed with strength? It would be accurate to say that she's a cultural hybrid. Despite turning away from the Anshin, she is a product of their upbringing. SeeD refined her and made her strong. And at times like this it left her feeling so very confused. Each group's ideology had its merits and flaws. Was it foolish of her to try to weave these extremes into a single cloth? She would experience less grief if she just went one way or the other like Kei had. But which to choose? Eliminating the Anshin part would leave her feeling empty inside versus cutting her ties with SeeD and giving up her calling in life. 'When walking on the Knife's edge, don't be surprised if you cut your feet,' she quoted a line from one of stories she learned as a child. Like a majority of her favorites, it was a Tonberry story. Myth portrayed them as sage lorekeepers. Their wisdom was part of what attracted her to them. Xu closed her eyes and focused her mind on recalling how the rest of it went. The story was about a young boy who encountered a Tonberry while playing in a field he wasn't allowed in. The Tonberry gave to him a list of tasks to complete and a Sacred Knife to use on his journeys. The boy was so frightened by the encounter that he ran back to his village with the knife still in his hand. This he hid away, hoping to never see another Tonberry again. Many years passed and the boy became a man with a wife and two small children. One day while working in the same field, a knifeless Tonberry approached him. It reminded him that he had yet to complete the tasked set before him and that it would not wait forever. The man begged to be released from the Tonberry's curse. It refused citing that it was not a curse, but his destiny. He reluctantly agreed to do as the Tonberry instructed, but it would not be easy. He had a family to support and the tasks were dangerous. 'You are a man torn between obligations. When walking on the Knife's edge, don't be surprised if you cut your feet.' The Tonberry sank back into a hole in the ground as he watched with amazement. Its warning reminded him of the knife he stored away so long ago. Upon retrieving it, he tested the blade. It easily split the skin of his thumb. The rest of the story goes on about the tasks he completed while doing the best he could to support his family. She always thought the lesson implied was to not get caught in a division of loyalties to begin with. Now that she was older and finding herself in a similar situation, she could appreciate the man's despair. Tonberries were revered by the Anshin for their longevity and ties to the past. They're the ones trusted to remember the stories since humans tend to forget. There are many stories involving the Tonberries. Xu sometimes wondered if they held a bias towards remembering ones that featured them. She smiled softly as she remembered her childhood fantasies of one-day meeting a Tonberry. It was (usually) a good omen to see one. It signified that the person's life meant something more than just being a farmer. The burning desire to be someone special has driven her since her childhood. Being an average person stuck in an insignificant position is one of the worst fates she could think of. She remembered the time she tried to express these feelings to her father. He scolded her for belittling the value of others. She understood his point that people were linked together in a chain and that *everyone* mattered. But as she saw it, some people just added up to being more than others. He rebuked her by asking why she was so special? Didn't she realize that others felt exactly the same way? To a complete stranger, she was just an average person until they came to know her and her dreams. A tear slipped down her cheek as she recalled the deep frown that marred his face. The tears she cried that day weren't due to shame, they were caused by frustration. He didn't understand the stirrings within her. It was a restless feeling that kept her awake on nights like this. What she was doing wasn't enough, not if she was going to be more. ***** "This is my favorite part of the convention," Pan rubbed his hands together gleefully as they surveyed the large room full of weapons vendors. They picked a corner to start at and began moving systematically from booth to booth looking at the latest weapon designs. The room was to the point of being nearly over-filled with bodies, causing Xu and Pan to become separated. Xu found her way to a booth set up in a small alcove. She examined the weapons before looking up to see Sean's father watching her politely until she noticed. "Hello," she greeted, settling down quickly after being startled by his appearance. "Come around back here, child. Let me give you a hug," she did as he requested and was nearly squeezed to death by his powerful embrace. "You do our family proud! I knew the day would come when our family of Weapons Smiths would finally produce a Weapons Master." He squeezed her again. "Xu?" She glanced over her shoulder awkwardly considering the hold she was in. Pan leaned across the booth's counter, "What are you doing with the Weapons Smith?" "I'm congratulating my daughter," he release Xu from the embrace, but kept an arm around her shoulder as he turned towards the counter. "What can I do for you today, Master Pan?" The Master blanched at the mention of 'daughter'. "You hadn't mention that you and Sean were married," Pan gave her a hurt look. "We weren't," Xu corrected. "But they would have!" The Weapons Smith assured. "Which means that Xu's family," he reasoned. Pan boggled. "You never told me that the most renown Weapons Smith in Galbadia was your father-in-law. No wonder you have a weapon the likes of Heart Breaker. You shouldn't hide such things from your Master, Xu." "Speaking of weapons, I have a new one for you. Give me your sai and belt." Xu drew the sai from her belt before removing it and handing them both over. He set the sai aside on a back counter before pulling a felt bag from a small chest. To her, he gave the bag. She undid the drawstrings and slipped out one of the sai held within. It was a beautiful weapon that was light in her hand. The grip felt as though it was made with her in mind. In all likelihood, it was. Xu's eyes narrows as she noted that this weapon was edged. It wasn't unheard of for sai to have an edge, just unusual. The Weapons Smith attached a pair of sheaths to her belt that would protect her from the blades. She held her arms up as he fastened the belt about her waist. "They're called Life Guard. Five Full-Life beads have been worked into the grip of each sai. I'm sure you can figure out how the weapon comes by its name," his eyes creased shut as he smiled broadly. "Thank you very much," she held one of the sai out for Pan to examine. He whistled appreciatively before returning it. "I feel better knowing that you have them," he hugged her once more before shoo-ing her around to the front of the booth. "If you have the chance, come by for dinner before you leave town. The rest of the family would like to add their congratulations to mine." Xu thanked him for the invitation before continuing on with Pan. They were well away from his booth before he spoke again. "I knew one of his sons died, but I hadn't put together the relation," he admitted. "It's a small world." "That it is," he agreed, "look up ahead." A man with several guards surrounding him was making his rounds. Vinzer Deling spoke with a weapons merchant as the guards maintained a perimeter around him. "Should we approach him?" Xu mused. "He'll find us if we don't find him," Pan reasoned. They came as close as the guards allowed before Pan began calling out his name. The President would have usually ignored such things, but he recognized the voice immediately. "Pan! And you have Xu with you. I hear that congratulations are in order," he shook both of their hands in turn. "How does it feel to be one of the Guild's newest Masters?" "Much like it felt being a Journeywoman. I still have much to learn," she said with all honesty. He chuckled at her straightforward answer. "I'm sure you'll strive to quickly fill the gaps in your knowledge." Deling and Pan spoke for several minutes while Xu paid polite attention. Who won next year's soccer tournament was of no interest to her. She spotted Raven watching them out of the corner of her eye. He seemed agitated about something. "Excuse me, gentlemen," she bowed to both of them before going over to meet him. Deling gave Pan a questioning look as the two of them spoke briefly before going off together. "Don't ask me," Pan said dryly. "Young love, perhaps?" The amusement that colored Deling's tone was unmistakable. "Somehow, I don't think so," Pan shrugged. "What do you think of that underdog team from the southwest district?" Raven pulled Xu along behind them until they were in a secluded corner where the privacy of their conversation was assured. "Raven, what's gotten into you?" He looked around them again to be absolutely certain that they were alone. "You were speaking with *him*," he hissed. "President Deling? So what?" The accusation didn't make sense. Deling wouldn't be here if he didn't expect people to approach him. Besides, wasn't he a major sponsor of this event? "So what?! He's-" Raven clenched and unclenched his fists as he kept his fury firmly in check. "He's what's wrong with Galbadia. If he wasn't in the picture, the independent -- or formally so -- countries of this continent wouldn't be cowering in fear. The people follow him, but only because they'll be sent to D-District Prison if they don't. Have you ever been there? It's hell on earth, complete with torture facilities!" Xu didn't have an answer for that. He was well set in his line of thinking and nothing she could say would influence him. She did agree that Galbadia needed change -- desperately -- but this was hardly the place to say that. It also didn't do to make unnecessary enemies. So she bit her tongue and let Raven get it off his chest. "I'm sorry," he hung his head once his anger passed and he realized what he was doing. It wasn't his place to tell her who she should and shouldn't associate with. But watching her speak with the person who, in his book, was synonymous with an ultimate evil both angered and frightened him. He wanted to protect her from that viper before he decided to bite her. "I appreciate you sharing your feelings with me," she said sincerely. He nodded. He wasn't going to press the subject by asking if she agreed with him or not. Her knowing how he felt was enough. "I'll see you later then," he looked as though he wanted to say more, but instead turned away. Xu watched him thoughtfully until he was gone. Still musing to herself, she walked outside for a breath of fresh air. A gentle breeze played with a few strands of her dark hair as she watched vehicles move down a busy street off in the distance. "Peaceful, isn't it?" A voice behind her asked. She spun around to locate the source. Elf was sitting on a high wall under the cover of some low hanging tree branches. If he hadn't said anything, she would have never known he was there. "Very much so," she agreed, moving to stand by the wall. He slid off to land lightly next to her. "I wanted to speak with you once more before I left." "About what?" She was still leery of him after the grief he put her through, but could see now that his intentions were good. "About you and your place in the overall scheme of things," he made an expansive gesture to include everything around them. "You're in a difficult position that's awkward at best. I wanted to encourage you to keep moving forward, even when obstacles are being thrown in your way." "I thank you for your encouragement, but how do you know anything about me?" It was presumptuous of him to offer advice to someone he had only met yesterday. From how he spoke, it sounded as though he knew much more about her than he was letting on. If that was so, she wanted to know what he did. His mouth quirked as his intense green eyes bored into her. "Let's just say it's my job to know things. You've made quite a splash during your time here. If you ever looked yourself up in the newslinks, you'd find nothing. Not surprising considering the stranglehold that's on the press. But explore the underground links and you'll find that you're a minor heroine to many people for your bold demeanor towards Deling. People respect strength, and you possess it in great quantities both physically and in your character." She shrugged it off. "They could admire their cats for all I care. I'm just a SeeD going about my duty." "A SeeD, an Instructor, and now a Weapons Mistress," he narrowed his eyes slightly, "and perhaps something more?" "What do you mean?" She asked with more edge to her voice than she intended. He was still playing game with her and it was getting on her nerves. If he had something to say, do so already! "I think... You'll discover that soon enough," he inclined his body to her briefly. "May the spirits protect you, Xu of the Anshin, for we will meet again." He jumped up and grabbed hold of a low hanging branch. This he used to swing himself back up onto the wall, then down the other side. She glared at where he once stood. "I hate mind game," she muttered darkly before stalking back inside. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Raven until she stumbled right into him. He caught them before either fell to the floor. "I'm sorry, Raven," Xu blushed. He removed his arms from around her with only a slight hesitation. "It's alright. I was hoping to catch you again, but this isn't quite what I intended." Xu brushed her hair behind her ear still feeling embarrassed about running into him. He likewise fidgeted slightly before gesturing for them to walk somewhere that wasn't in the middle of the convention center annex. "I wanted to apologize for earlier and to try to have a normal conversation with you," he explained. They made their way to a small cafe within the center. It was earlier enough in the afternoon that it wasn't yet filled with people looking for dinner. A small table tucked away in the corner provided them the privacy Raven hoped for. "'A normal conversation?'" Xu asked. He nodded solemnly. "When I speak with you, it's like a game to see how many times I can shove my foot into my mouth before you're dragged off somewhere. I wanted to get to know you when no one else was around to make me look like a fool." "I know that you're not a fool," she reassured. "Thank you," he let out a soft sigh. "I haven't put my best foot forward. Plus Masters Lyra and Pan keep tripping me up," he muttered sourly. Xu smiled at that. Raven was trying so hard and the Masters were messing him up every chance they got. They made a complete fool of his last night when they came back to the convention center after dinner. Without their 'kind' attentions, she could see him being a very caring and gentle man instead of the one who was bitter after years of the relentless teasing that she saw last night. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked politely after a waiter came by to get their drink order. "I'm not sure," he admitted sheepishly. "What's your life dream?" "My life dream?" Xu leaned back in the wooden chair she sat on. What was her life dream? Becoming a SeeD was part of it that's for certain. But what was beyond that for her? Where did she see herself being in ten years? "I'm not sure," she answered after considering it. The waiter had returned during that time and set their drinks before them. "You don't know? How strange. You strike me as someone who would have very lofty goals to strive for," he commented while taking a sip from the frosted glass. "It is silly, isn't it? I know what I want to do -- to be a SeeD -- but beyond that, it doesn't much matter to me." "What will you do with yourself after SeeD?" He asked. "I've never thought that far. I can't image living a life outside of this uniform. It's who I am and who I will always be." He frowned slightly as he thought about it. "Don't you want to settle down? To have a few kids maybe? You can't be a SeeD forever, it's too demanding of a job once you get older and your joints begin to thicken." "I did think about starting a family once. It was only a fanciful daydream, really," her eyes drifted off to focus on some point beyond his left shoulder. He coughed politely to draw her back into the conversation. "So why didn't you pursue that dream?" She sighed heavily and bowed her head. "Sean died." "I see." Raven slowly stood and picked up the bill to pay on his way out. "Thanks for taking the time to speak with me." "You're leaving already? You haven't told me your dream yet," Xu hastily rose to her feet. Raven shrugged. "I'll tell you some other time perhaps. See you around," he said. A confused Xu was left wondering what had gotten into him so suddenly. Raven cursed silently as he stomped down the hallway to his room. It was just his luck that she'd be committed to someone else, even if the guy had passed away. It felt like he was courting a widow. Why did things like this always happen to him? The last girl he'd fallen for was engaged -- something he didn't learn until her fiance was staring down at him ready to knock his head between his knees. Why couldn't he find a nice, quiet girl who would love him and he could love in return? That's all he wanted. Someone to comfort and to be comforted by. His mind returned to Xu. Damn it all, she was going to be a hard one to get over. Maybe Master Lyra was right. Maybe he did fall in love too easily. But there was something special about Xu, something that made him want to draw closer to her. She was like a vibrant light while he was a moth attracted by the glow. An appropriate example since he'd just gotten burned. The door to his room slid open after he swiped his card through the reader. Dejectedly, he flopped himself onto his bed and closed his eyes. What the hell was he even thinking? It wasn't like he'd ever see her again any ways. Becoming a Guild member is like a weekend hobby for her, not a career choice. She said it herself that SeeD was her life. There was no way someone as busy as her could take a week off to come to the annual Guild convention. She had her life as a SeeD. He would have to accept the fact he was so far out of the picture that he wasn't even on the same image chip. ***** The remaining months of Xu's stay at Galbadia Garden slipped past without notice. A couple weeks before she was to return to Balamb, she received a packet with her new orders in it. She was permitted two weeks leave before reporting in. After considering it briefly, there really wasn't anywhere she wanted to go except Balamb. Another sheet informed her that she would receive a promotion and pay raise upon returning. She was being raised to SeeD rank ten with a respectable salary of 8,000 gil per pay period. Once again, the fleeting thought of it being criminal to be paid to do something you love crossed her mind. Garden provided most everything a person needed: room, board, and clothing. A majority of her stipend sat in a bank account accruing interest. Upon reflection, the thing she looked forward to the most after returning to Balamb was being at a Garden that didn't play a national anthem at absurd hours in the morning. That alone was worth going home for. The fact that she would be back with friends and Instructors that cared deeply about her was just icing on the cake. A part of her was going to miss Pan, Jen, and Eileen. With the exception of those three, there was very little to make her long to stay at Galbadia Garden. Xu did manage to squeeze in having dinner with Sean's family one last time before she left. The going away party they held was a complete surprise. It touched her deeply that they would even go to the bother. During dinner, they discussed her plans after leaving Galbadia. "What are you going to do during your leave?" One of the older sons asked politely. She knew that he was planning a tour of Trabia to find rare items and would be glad for her company if she were willing. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I was thinking of just going back." "You could return to your clan and complete the coming of age ceremony," Sean's father suggested over the rim of the glass he was sipping from. "Yes," she drawled slowly. There wasn't any reason why she couldn't and he knew it. This was his oblique way of nudging her towards tying up loose ends. Honestly, the matter seemed to bother him than it bothered her. "You're not a full adult yet?" The son she was speaking with asked in a surprised tone. "Even Father requires us to prove ourselves!" "Are you saying that I haven't proven myself?" She smiled to take the edge off of her retort. "My point exactly, child. You've more than earned your place. Go back and claim it," he put his hand over hers to squeeze it. "When they hear of your deeds, they can share in our pride of you." "Is that what they call being disowned these days?" She quipped humorlessly. It would only cause problems to return, especially now. As soon as they learned that she was a Weapons Mistress they'd shove her onto the soonest departing transport. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I think you under estimate them." "I'll consider it," she finally agreed after mulling over his words. "That's all I ask," he punctuated the statement with a sagely nod. ***** "Are you ready to return to Balamb?" Headmaster Cid's face filled most of the screen as he leaned too close to the visual pick up... again. Xu smiled on the inside with thoughts of being around the technologically inept man again. "Yes, Headmaster, but I've decided to visit my family before I return." His eyebrows rose up with curiosity. "May I ask why?" "I have some loose ends to tie up," she answered. Cid was an understanding man, but things like this were uncomfortable to discuss with someone who didn't fully grasp the significance of the event. "How interesting. I received a message from the Anshin council of elders yesterday asking that you be released for a week to visit them. If something is going on, I'd very much appreciate being in on it." His gave her a look that warned against hedging around the matter. She blushed slightly with embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Headmaster. I didn't know that they sent a message to you. I haven't spoke with them, so there's no way they could know that I planned to visit." He leaned back in his chair as he considered it. "Very well, though I'm curious to know what's going on. If you can, please fill me in when you return?" "Of course, thank you," she closed the connection. ***** Jen and Eileen prepared a farewell dinner for her last night. They stayed up into the early hours of the morning recalling events from the last couple of years. Eileen was fond of pointing out all the positive changes that had come into effect since her arrival, like she had something to do with it. "You're too modest," Eileen waved her off. "If it weren't for you, Martine would still have his head firmly stuck up his-" Jen pinched her in the thigh before she could finish the sentence. "From how I understand it, that was more Kei's doing than mine," she reminded. "Her and Headmaster Cid." "And they didn't care what went on at Galbadia before *you* came here," Eileen extended the thought beyond where Xu left it. "Enough, Eileen," Jen cut in gently. "The Garden reforms weren't her doing. Xu is a SeeD first. She didn't come here to help us with our difficulties. The fact that she did so along with completing her duty was a happy coincidence." Eileen sniffed. "For as many boastfully officers as I've encountered, you two are their opposite. I didn't realize SeeD taught a class in modesty." "Not modesty," Xu corrected, "quiet pride in ourselves and our organization." Jen nodded her agreement. "Being a SeeD changes you that way. We don't need to tell the world that we're the best, we'll demonstrate it for them." The next morning Xu carefully packed the last of her things into a duffel bag. Somehow she had acquired enough things in the last two years to make the use of a second bag necessary. 'It's the set of Galbadia SeeD uniforms,' she answered herself when asking where all this stuff had come from. She would have returned the Galbadian uniforms except that her body had changed sizes in a few key areas so that her Balamb ones didn't fit her comfortably. The ones she had from that Garden would have to be altered before she could wear them again, a fact she hadn't accounted for when she tried one on the other night. Pan said his good-bye's to her before his first training session. He looked forward to challenging her again. It was a mutual feeling. Finalized copies of her paperwork were turned in after speaking with Pan. All she had left to do was to walk out the gate with her bags in tow. She already had her tickets bought for the train to Deling City, then Dollet, and finally south to Centra. Xu was nearly off the grounds when a car drove past her and turned sharply in front of her, blocking her from leaving. Headmaster Martine got out of the passenger side and walked over to her purposefully. "Headmaster?" She asked politely, keeping the annoyance she felt at being stopped from reaching her voice. "I wanted to say something to you before you left, but didn't have the balls to do so yesterday during our debriefing," he firmly placed his hands behind his back and paced to and fro. "I wanted to thank you. I know that my treatment of you hasn't always been favorable, but you stuck with it. I regret seeing you leave. I know that Cid is going to produce the better SeeDs with someone like you on his staff, and that irks me." "You could raise the standards at Galbadia," she suggested. From her time at both schools, she was certain that Balamb was the more intensive program scholastically while Galbadia focused on physical training and discipline. "That is what I will strive for," he gave her what was intended to be a smile. His face was so creased from his constant frowning that the kind gesture would have looked more in place on a Bite Bug. "Good luck Mistress SeeD Instructor Xu Anshin," he held his hand out to her. She took hold of the offered hand and shook firmly while groaning on the inside. She couldn't be rid of all those silly titles soon enough and her family name wasn't 'Anshin' as he used it. Considering their first meeting, it was probably his poorly aimed stab at humor. "Thank you." He returned to his car and rode back to the Garden complex proper. It would be a while before he figured things out, in her opinion. He could have just walked out here like any other person would have. And if he was going to take a car, courtesy would have prompted him to offer her a ride to the train depot. Xu shook her head as she slung a duffel across her back with the other on her shoulder. She needed to get out of this country. Such acts were beginning to seem normal to her. [End file 3a3 of 3a3 of ?]